Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Funding

Call for Proposals: Community Engaged Research Clusters

The application window is now closed. Awardees will be announced in November 2025.

The FREE Center invites proposals from research clusters to support feminist, community engaged research and creative practices. Funds may be used to initiate or deepen community partnerships; to conduct artistic, scholarly, and pedagogical projects; and to document work. We especially prioritize transdisciplinary, collaborative scholarship that supports FREE’s mission to advance research that interrogates the asymmetries of power and inequality; education that challenges hierarchies of knowledge; and community engagement that is reciprocal and non-extractive. 

Research clusters may apply in one of two categories:

Emergent clusters (with budgets up to $10,000) will have identified potential community partners who are interested in pursuing collaborative work. 

Established clusters (with budgets up to $15,000) are those in which OSU researchers have established ongoing relationships with community partners who are themselves collaborators in the research project.
 

Clusters may include faculty, lecturers, post-doctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, and community partners. Each cluster proposal will be submitted by a principal investigator (or co-principal investigators) who must be a tenure-track, tenured, or clinical/teaching track faculty member. 

Both currently funded FREE Center research clusters and new applicants are eligible and encouraged to apply.

All funded clusters will be expected to participate in the FREE Center’s dialogue series on community engaged research and pedagogy, and to document their work.
 

Application Requirements:

  • Project Title
  • Submitting team (PI and any co-PIs)
  • Concept Proposal (500-1,000 words that describes the project)
  • Budget that details anticipated use of funds
  • Assurance of compliance
     

Grant Timeline:

September 2025: Proposal window opens
October 17th, 2025: Proposal window closes
November 2025: Accepted proposals announced
January 2026: Initial funds released and projects begin
Spring 2027: Project completion deadline

Please send any questions to free@osu.edu

Research and Connection Cluster Funding 

Applications for Research and Connection Clusters funding are now open.  APPLY HERE

FREE Center Research and Connection Clusters bring together scholars across campus around shared areas of interest related to feminist research, education, and engagement, broadly defined. 

Clusters receive up to $500 for use during the academic year. Funds can be used for securing meeting space and refreshments; purchasing books or other supplies; workshop costs; consulting; hosting community partners; tickets to arts and/or community events; hosting works-in-progress discussions; or other expenses as needed. 

Timeline:

Applications due - November 7th, 2025
Awards Announced - December 2025
Project completion date - December 31st, 2026
 

Clusters who seek to establish and/or deepen collaborations with community partners are highly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the FREE Center's current and past funded clusters, visit the FREE Center Research page. 

Please send any questions to free@osu.edu

Graduate Small Grants for Feminist Scholarship
 

Graduate Small Grants for Feminist Scholarship is a funding opportunity for Ohio State graduate students engaged in feminist research and/or creative practice. The FREE Center program awards grants of up to $500 to currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students. Students from all departments across campus are welcome to apply. 

There are 2 types of funding available for the 2025-26 academic year:

Conference Travel: these funds are designed to be used for students who have had a paper accepted to an upcoming conference and are securing their travel arrangements in order to present.

Research Funds: these funds may be used to conduct research or develop projects; provide payment to human subjects; and/or purchase research/creative practice-related materials and supplies.
 

Proposals should demonstrate a substantial connection to the purpose and mission of the FREE Center, with preference given to those who contribute consistently to the life of the Center via event attendance and participation and/or to students working directly with our faculty affiliates.

Application Deadlines: 
Conference Travel application - November 7, 2025   Apply Here
Research Funds application - February 13, 2026  Apply Here

Award Announcements: 
Conference Travel application - December 2025 
Research Funds application - March 2026

***All awards must be used by December 31, 2026

Additional Information:

  • Applicants may only apply ONCE per academic year.
     
  • Grant recipients will be required to submit receipts, proof of conference acceptance, and/or a written summary detailing how the funds were used. 
     

Please send any questions to free@osu.edu

FREE Center Co-Sponsorships and Collaborations

Are you hosting an event (e.g., seminar, speaker, workshop, retreat, creative event, community engagement project) rooted in feminist approaches or perspectives? We welcome opportunities for collaboration and partnership. Note that our co-sponsorship funding commitments typically range from $250-500. 
 

For consideration, please complete the Co-Sponsorship Application. Please allow a three week lead time for all requests.